Document #1
Medieval Sourcebook:
Jordanes:
An Account of the Person of Attila
When Attila's brother Bleda who ruled over a great part of the Huns had been slain by Attila's treachery, the latter
united all the people under his own rule. Gathering also a host of the other tribes which he then held under his sway
he sought to subdue the foremost nations of the world---the Romans and Visigoths. His army is said to have
numbered 500,000 men. He was a man born into the world to shake the nations, the scourge of all lands, who in
some way terrified all mankind by the dreadful rumors noised abroad concerning him. He was haughty in his walk,
rolling his eyes here and there, so that the power of his proud spirit appeared in the movement of his body. He was
indeed a lover of war, yet restrained in action, mighty in counsel, gracious to suppliants and lenient to those who
were once received into his protection. He was short of stature, with a broad chest and a large head: his eyes were
small, his beard thin and sprinkled with gray: and he had a flat nose and a swarthy complexion showing the
evidences of his origin..
Source.
From: William Stearns Davis, ed., Readings in Ancient History: Illustrative Extracts from the Sources, 2 Vols.,
(Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1912-1913), p. 322
Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text may have been modernized by Prof. Arkenberg.
This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copypermitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for
electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the
document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.
© Paul Halsall, August 1998
halsall@murray.fordham.edu
Document # 2
Medieval Sourcebook:
Jordanes: The Battle of Chalôns, 451 CE
History of the Goths, chap. 38:
The armies met in the Catalaunian Plains. The battlefield was a plain rising by a sharp slope to a ridge which both
armies sought to gain; for advantage of position is a great help. The Huns with their forces seized the right side, the
Romans, the Visigoths and their allies the left, and then began a struggle for the yet untaken crest. Now Theodoric
with his Visigoths held the right wing, and Aetius with the Romans the left [of the line against Attila]. On the other
side, the battle line of the Huns was so arranged that Attila and his bravest followers were stationed in the center. In
arranging them thus the king had chiefly his own safety in view, since by his position in the very midst of his race, he
would be kept out of the way of threatened danger. The innumerable peoples of divers tribes, which he had
subjected to his sway, formed the wings. Now the crowd of kings---if we may call them so---and the leaders of
various nations hung upon Attila's nod like slaves, and when he gave a sign even by a glance, without a murmur
each stood forth in fear and trembling, or at all events did as he was bid. Attila alone was king of kings over all and
concerned for all.
So then the struggle began for the advantage of position we have mentioned. Attila sent his men to take the summit
of the mountain, but was outstripped by Thorismud [crown prince of the Visigoths] and Aetius, who in their effort to
gain the top of the hill reached higher ground, and through this advantage easily routed the Huns as they came up.
When Attila saw his army was thrown into confusion by the event he [urged them on with a fiery harangue and . . .]
inflamed by his words they all dashed into the battle.
And although the situation was itself fearful, yet the presence of the king dispelled anxiety and hesitation. Hand to
hand they clashed in battle, and the fight grew fierce, confused, monstrous, unrelenting---a fight whose like no
ancient time has ever recorded. There were such deeds done that a brave man who missed this marvelous spectacle
could not hope to see anything so wonderful all his life long. For if we may believe our elders a brook flowing
between low banks through the plain was greatly increased by blood from the wounds of the slain. Those whose
wounds drove them to slake their parching thirst drank water mingled with gore. In their wretched plight they were
forced to drink what they thought was the blood they had poured out from their own wounds.
Here King Theodoric [the Visigoth] while riding by to encourage his army, was thrown from his horse and trampled
underfoot by his own men, thus ending his days at a ripe old age. But others say he was slain by the spear of Andag
of the host of the Ostrogoths who were then under the sway of Attila. Then the Visigoths fell on the horde of the
Huns and nearly slew Attila. But he prudently took flight and straightway shut himself and his companions within the
barriers of the camp which he had fortified with wagons. [The battle now became confused: chieftains became
separated from their forces: night fell with the Roman-Gothic army holding the field of combat.]
At dawn on the next day the Romans saw that the fields were piled high with corpses, and that the Huns did not
venture forth; they thought that the victory was theirs, but knew that Attila would not flee from battle unless
overwhelmed by a great disaster. Yet he did nothing cowardly, like one that is overcome, but with clash of arms
sounded the trumpets and threatened an attack. [His enemies] determined to wear him out by a siege. It is said that
the king remained supremely brave even in this extremity and had heaped up a funeral pyre of horse trappings, so
that if the enemy should attack him he was determined to cast himself into the flames; that none might have the joy
of wounding him, and that the lord of so many races might not fall into the hands of his foes. However, owing to
dissensions between the Romans and Goths he was allowed to escape to his home land, and in this most famous war
of the bravest tribes, 160,000 men are said to have been slain on both sides.
Source.
From: William Stearns Davis, ed., Readings in Ancient History: Illustrative Extracts from the Sources, 2 Vols. (Boston:
Allyn and Bacon, 1912-13), Vol. II: Rome and the West, pp. 322-325.
Scanned in and modernized by Dr. Jerome S. Arkenberg, Dept. of History, Cal. State Fullerton.
This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copypermitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for
electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the
document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.
© Paul Halsall, July 1998
halsall@murray.fordham.edu
Document # 3
Medieval Sourcebook: Pricus on Attila the Hun
448
Priscus describes the court of Attila king of the Huns (448)
The Greek writer Priscus actually visited the Huns and conversed with Attila. He received a very different impression
of the people from the fearsome pictures given earlier by Ammianus Marcellinus. We may however infer that the
Huns had been a good deal changed by their contact with the European peoples. Priscus and a companion, Maxim,
were sent by the Roman government with messages to Attila in 448. Priscus first tells of their long journey from
Constantinople to Scythia, the territory then occupied by the Huns north of the lower Danube. After some difficulty
the messengers obtained a first interview with Attila. Then, as the king of the Huns was about to move northward,
he and his companion determined to follow him. After describing the incidents of their journey and their arrival at a
large village, Priscus continues:
Attila's residence, which was situated here, was said to be more splendid than his houses in other places. It was
made of polished boards, and surrounded with wooden enclosures, designed not so much for protection as for
appearance' sake. The house of the chieftain Onegesius was second only to the king's in splendor and was also
encircled with a wooden enclosure, but it was not adorned with towers like that of the king. Not far from the
inclosure was a large bath built by Onegesius, who was the second in power among the Scythians. The stones for
this bath had been brought from Pannonia, for the barbarians in this district had no stones or trees, but used
imported material....
The next day I entered the enclosure of Attila's palace, bearing gifts to his wife, whose name was Kreka. She had
three sons, of whom the eldest governed the Acatiri and the other nations who dwell in Pontic Scythia. Within the
inclosures were numerous buildings, some of carved boards beautifully fitted together, others of straight planed
beams, without carving, fastened on round wooden blocks which rose to a moderate height from the ground. Attila's
wife lived here; and, having been admitted by the barbarians at the door, I found her reclining on a soft couch. The
floor of the room was covered with woolen mats for walking on. A number of servants stood round her, and maids
sitting on the floor in front of her embroidered with colors linen cloths intended to be placed over the Scythian dress
for ornament. Having approached, saluted her, and presented-the gifts, I went out and walked to the other houses,
where Attila was, and waited for Onegesius, who, as I knew, was with Attila. . . .
I saw a number of people advancing, and a great commotion and noise, Attila's egress being expected. And he came
forth from the house with a dignified strut, looking round on this side and on that. He was accompanied by
Onegesius, and stood in front of the house; and many persons who had lawsuits with one another came up and
received his judgment. Then he returned into the house d p and received ambassadors of barbarous peoples. . . .
[We were invited to a banquet with Attila at three o'clock] When the hour arrived we went to the palace, along with
the embassy from the western Romans, and stood on the threshold of the hall in the presence of Attila.
The cupbearers gave us a cup, according to the national custom, that we might pray before we sat down. Having
tasted the cup, we proceeded to take our seats, all the chairs being ranged along the walls of the room on either
side. Attila sat in the middle on a couch ; a second couch was set behind him, and from it steps led up to his bed,
which was covered with linen sheets and wrought coverlets for ornament, such as Greeks and Romans used to deck
bridal beds. The places on the right of Attila were held chief in honor - those on the left, where we sat, were only
second. . . .
[First the king and his guests pledged one another with the wine.] When this ceremony was over the cupbearers
retired, and tables, large enough for three or four, or even more, to sit at, were placed next the table of Attila, so
that each could take of the food on the dishes without leaving his seat. The attendant of Attila first entered with a
dish of meat, and behind him came the other attendants with bread and viands, which they laid on the tables. A
luxurious meal, served on silver plate, had been made ready for us and the barbarian guests, but Attila ate nothing
but meat on a wooden trencher. In everything else, too, he showed himself temperate - his cup was of wood, while
to the guests were given goblets of gold and silver. His dress, too, was quite simple, affecting only to be clean. The
sword he carried at his side, the ratchets of his Scythian shoes, the bridle of his horse were not adorned, like those
of the other Scythians, with gold or gems or anything costly.
When the viands of the first course had been consumed, we all stood up, and did not resume our seats until each
one, in the order before observed, drank to the health of Attila in the goblet of wine presented to him. We then sat
down, and a second dish was placed on each table with eatables of another kind. After this course the same
ceremony was observed as after the first, When evening fell torches were lit, and two barbarians coming forward in
front of Attila sang sons they had composed, celebrating his victories and deeds of valor in war.
From the account left by Priscus, translated in J. H. Robinson,
Readings in European History, (Boston: Ginn, 1905), pp. 46-49
This text is part of the Internet Medieval Source Book. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copypermitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history.
Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for
electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the
document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.
(c)Paul Halsall Jan 1996
halsall@murray.fordham.edu